Cap unit and capped container
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cap units face issues where the inner plug can separate from the outer lid due to stress during repeated attachment and detachment, leading to potential safety hazards as the inner plug may fall from the outer lid.
Innovation Solution
A cap unit with a temporary fastening mechanism that integrally joins the inner plug to the outer lid, featuring engaging and engaged parts that temporarily fasten the inner plug to the outer lid, preventing it from falling even if separation occurs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the inner plug is joined to the outer lid by ultrasonic welding or high-frequency welding, then the inner plug is integrally attached to the outer lid, but stress applied during repeated attachment and detachment may cause the inner plug to separate from the outer lid
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a temporary fastening mechanism (protrusion and recess structure) that is established before the final ultrasonic or high-frequency welding process. This temporary mechanism serves as a safety backup that prevents the inner plug from falling even if the welded joint fails due to stress during repeated use, thereby cushioning against the potential failure of the primary joining method
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the state of the inner plug from completely fixed (after welding) to having a backup retention mechanism. The temporary fastening mechanism allows the inner plug to maintain its position through mechanical interlocking (protrusion fitting into recess) as a supplementary measure to the thermal welding process, altering the reliability parameter by adding a fail-safe feature
2Device complexity
If the inner plug is integrally joined to the outer lid, then the cap unit structure is simplified, but the inner plug may fall if separation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The temporary fastening mechanism with protrusion and recess is designed beforehand as a safety backup. This mechanism does not significantly complicate the overall structure but provides crucial protection against the harmful effect of the inner plug falling, serving as a passive safety feature that activates only if the primary integral joint fails
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusion and recess structure acts as an intermediary retention mechanism between the inner plug and outer lid. It provides a secondary connection path that mediates the potential failure mode, allowing the system to maintain safety even when the primary welding joint separates
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The cap unit ensures the inner plug remains securely attached to the outer lid, enhancing safety and ease of use by preventing accidental detachment and falls, while maintaining a seamless user experience.
Implementation Method 1
a temporary fastening mechanism that prevents the inner plug from falling by temporarily fastening the inner plug to an inner lower surface of the outer lid
Implementation Method 2
the temporary fastening mechanism has an engaging part provided on one of the outer lid or the inner plug, and an engaged part provided on the other, and the engaging part engages with the engaged part, thereby temporarily fastening the inner plug to the inner lower surface of the outer lid
Implementation Method 3
the inner plug is joined to the inner lower surface of the outer lid by ultrasonic welding, high-frequency welding or the like
Implementation Method 4
the inner plug is joined to the inner lower surface of the outer lid by ultrasonic welding, high-frequency welding or the like
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A cap unit (1A) that can be freely attached and detached from a container main body (2) that is open at an upper part, and includes a cap main body (9) that closes an upper opening part (2a) of the container main body (2), the cap main body (9) having an outer lid (10) that covers the upper opening part (2a) of the container main body (2), an inner plug (11) that fits into the inside of the container main body (2) from the upper opening part (2a), and a temporary fastening mechanism (20A) that temporarily fastens the inner plug (11) to the inner lower surface of the outer plug (10); wherein the inner plug (11) is integrally joined to the inner lower surface of the outer lid (10) while the inner plug (11) is temporarily fastened such that the temporary fastening mechanism (20A) prevents the inner plug (11) from falling from the outer lid (10).